The federal government is moving to eliminate the jobs of nearly half of the lawyers at the Internal Revenue Service who audit tax returns of some of the wealthiest Americans, specifically those who are subject to gift and estate taxes when they transfer parts of their fortunes to their children and others.

The administration plans to cut the jobs of 157 of the agencys 345 estate tax lawyers, plus 17 support personnel, in less than 70 days. Kevin Brown, an I.R.S. deputy commissioner, confirmed the cuts after The New York Times was given internal documents by people inside the I.R.S. who oppose them.

The Bush administration has passed measures that reduce the number of Americans who are subject to the estate tax  which opponents refer to as the death tax  but has failed in its efforts to eliminate the tax entirely. Mr. Brown said in a telephone interview Friday that he had ordered the staff cuts because far fewer people were obliged to pay estate taxes under President Bushs legislation.

But six I.R.S. estate tax lawyers whose jobs are likely to be eliminated said in interviews that the cuts were just the latest moves behind the scenes at the I.R.S. to shield people with political connections and complex tax-avoidance devices from thorough audits.

Sharyn Phillips, a veteran I.R.S. estate tax lawyer in Manhattan, called the cuts a back-door way for the Bush administration to achieve what it cannot get from Congress, which is repeal of the estate tax.

Mr. Brown dismissed as preposterous any suggestion that the I.R.S. was soft on rich tax cheats.

"Kevin Brown, an I.R.S. deputy commissioner, confirmed the cuts after The New York Times was given internal documents by people inside the I.R.S. who oppose them."

This is how the NYT is getting all their "leaks" from the "intellegence agencies" and other agencies throughout the government. All the Clinton/Democrap hires are deep throating their bile to the NYT, who is trying to run President Bush outa town on a rail with tar and feathers all over him!!!

The NYT is hurting not only national security, but the general administration of the government by elected representatives of US!!! Why do we just sit here at our keyboards and take it??? This has to stop or we might as well quit having elections and just let the illegitimate bastards run everything like the leftist dictators they wanna be!!!

The federal government is moving to eliminate the jobs of nearly half of the lawyers at the Internal Revenue Service who audit tax returns of some of the wealthiest Americans, specifically those who are subject to gift and estate taxes when they transfer parts of their fortunes to their children and others.

I couldn't even get through this first paragraph without breaking out laughing and glancing up to see where this liberal, leftist, 'Rat talking point was literally being parroted from. Talk about lack of any plan or idea.

This whole thing was written as if it came directly off the 'Rat talking points fax--- from the 2000 election! Can't they even come up with something besides the old, trite "for the richest 1% of Americans" krap?? Apparently not.

Are there still unwashed, sub-idiot IQ people out there who actually believe this stuff? Oh, that's right, only about 50% of the population, judging from the voting of the last two Pres. elections.

What maroons!

16
posted on 07/23/2006 9:33:26 PM PDT
by hadit2here
("Most men would rather die than think. Many do." - Bertrand Russell)

Without lawyers, the laws would be reasonably written, easily interpreted, and a high school graduate could defend himself from any charge. Of course with lawyers and their Whereas and Wherefores and such, we have to pay for an interpreter, to decode the rules the interpreters teachers laid out.

18
posted on 07/23/2006 10:19:03 PM PDT
by jeremiah
(How much did we get for that rope?)

I don't like this. Its not a question of whether or not the system is fair in its current form or whether or not there should be a flat tax / fair tax / national sales tax / whatever.

The audits on these returns bring in a substantial amount of taxes. If these people are underpaying their taxes, they are either being negligent or are committing a crime. If you don't like the law, work to get it changed, but tax evasion isn't right. People violating the law should be found, investigated, and prosecuted if the errors were intentional.

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